A Survey of Monuments of Archaeological and Historical Interest in the Barony of Bunratty Lower, Co. Clare: Part 4: Castles and tower houses c.1500: Chapter 43: Kilnasoolagh Parish: Ballynacragga Castle

Clare County Library

Clare Archaeology

A Survey of Monuments of Archaeological and Historical Interest in the Barony of Bunratty Lower, Co. Clare by William Gerrard Ryan

Part 4: Castles and tower houses c.1500
Chapter 43: Kilnasoolagh Parish

BALLYNACRAGGA CASTLE

(Site Unknown); ½” Sheet 17

R.C. Parish :	Newmarket-on-Fergus
Townland :	Ballynacragga
6” O.S. Sheet number :	42 (Co. Clare)
Reference :	Actual Site Unknown
Height (G.L.) :	Actual Site Unknown
1” O.S. Sheet number :	133 (Sixmilebridge)

According to a number of sources, cited later, a castle (tower house?) did formerly exist in this townland. The problem is where? Its site is not marked in on the O.S. Sheets and locals do not know of its former existence.

According to both Curry (1839) and Frost (1893) in the year 1580 A.D., based on the College List, Ballynacragga Castle was owned by Treny (?) Mac Inerney.

O’Lionain, from the mid eighteenth century, states that local folklore then referred to one Shane, son of Conor Roe (Mac Inerney?) as the original builder of the site, at a date unknown.

From these references we can be certain that a castle (tower house?) existed in Ballynacragga townland. It must have been levelled at an early period as it does not appear on any editions of the O.S. Sheets, even dating back to 1839.

REFERENCES

Curry,	O.S. Letters (1839), Volume 2, pages 80 – 81 (He includes O’Lionain’s list of c. 1750 A.D.)
Frost,	1893, page 191

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